Door suicide alarm

ABSTRACT

A door alarm system is provided which activates an alarm when a door (such as the door to the patient&#39;s room, a bathroom door within the patient room, etc.) is closed with something (such as a sheet, cord or the like) over the top of door.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to door alarms, and, in particular to adoor alarm which will notify personnel, for example, of a psychiatrichospital, that a patient is attempting to commit suicide.

It is not uncommon for patients in, for example, psychiatric hospitals,to attempt to commit suicide. In order to prevent patients fromcommitting suicide, patient rooms are cleared of most things with whichpatients can commit suicide. For example, patients do not wear belts.One way in which patients do attempt to commit suicide is to tie a knotin the end of a bed sheet, drape the bed sheet over the top of a door(either the door to the patient's room or the bathroom door in thepatient's room), and close the door. The knot on the end of the doorwill prevent the sheet from sliding through the closed door, and thepatient can then hang him or herself with the sheet.

Currently, there is no known device that is available to notify hospitalpersonnel when patient is attempting to commit suicide by hanging.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly stated, a door alarm system is provided which activates an alarmwhen a patient door (such as the door to the patient's room, a bathroomdoor within the room, etc.) is closed with something (such as a sheet,cord or the like) over the top of the door.

The door, as is known, is mounted in a door opening defined by a doorframe. The door frame is comprised of opposed side jambs and a headerextending between the jambs. The door is mounted to one of the jambs bya hinge assembly so that it can move between an open position and aclosed position. The door, itself, has a top, bottom and sides. When thedoor is closed, a gap is formed between the door top and the bottom ofthe header.

The alarm system comprises a pressure sensitive switch mounted to thedoor near the top of the door and the alarm. The alarm can be a visualand/or an audible alarm, and can be positioned outside the patient'sroom (i.e., on the wall outside the room) or in a central location, suchas a nurses station. The switch is an elongate switch and extendssubstantially the full side-to-side width of the door. The switchextends into the gap when the door is closed. The switch is incommunication with the alarm. Thus, when the switch detects pressureanywhere along its length, the switch will transmit a signal to activatethe alarm.

In one embodiment, the door includes an elongate channel in the top ofthe door, and the switch is mounted in the channel. Depending on thesize of the channel relative to the switch, a spacer can be provided toraise the switch, or to otherwise position the switch within thechannel. In another embodiment, the switch is mounted to a door beam,which in turn is mounted to the door. The system, in this embodiment,includes a header beam mounted to the wall or header above the doorbear, such that a gap is formed between the switch and the header beam.

In a preferred embodiment, a bracket mounted to the door (either in thechannel or to the door beam) and the switch is held by the bracket. Thebracket has a base and opposed side members extending upwardly from thebase; the side members being shaped to receive the switch and hold theswitch in the bracket. The bracket can be an elongate bracket whichextends substantially the full length of the door.

In one embodiment, the switch is hardwired to the alarm, and the switchincludes a lead wire to electrically connecting the switch and thealarm. The lead wire extends along at least a portion of the height ofthe door proximate the hinge. The wire then passes into or through thewall to be electrically connected to the alarm. To facilitate hiding ofthe wire, the hinge is a continuous or piano-type hinge and extendsdownwardly from near the top of the door. Preferably, the hinge extendsthe full length of the door. The wire is either secured to the outsideof the hinge or is positioned behind the hinge. A hinge cover can beprovided to cover up any exposed wire, if necessary.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a door in which an alarm of the presentinvention has been installed;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are examples of illustrative diagrams of an alarm systemcircuit of the present invention;

FIGS. 3A and B are cross-sectional and plan views of an illustrativeswitch used in conjunction with the alarm system;

FIGS. 4A and B are cross-sectional views showing a first illustrativemanner of mounting an alarm switch for on a door;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a second illustrative manner ofmounting the alarm switch on a door;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a wire lead extending along a doorhinge;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the switch wire extending along ahinge member;

FIG. 8 shows an alternative passage of an alarm lead through the door;and

FIG. 9 is a view of a hinge cover applied over the door hinge;

Corresponding reference numerals will be used throughout the severalfigures of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description illustrates the invention by way ofexample and not by way of limitation. This description will clearlyenable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, anddescribes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives anduses of the invention, including what I presently believe is the bestmode of carrying out the invention. Additionally, it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited in its application to the details ofconstruction and the arrangements of components set forth in thefollowing description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention iscapable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried outin various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology andterminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should notbe regarded as limiting.

A door 10 is positioned in a door opening 12 in wall 14. The door has atop surface 10a and side surfaces 10b extending between the door's frontand back surfaces 10c. The door opening 12 is defined by opposed doorjams 16 which extend upwardly from the floor and a header 18 whichextends between the jambs 16 at the top of the door opening 12. As isknown, the door is mounted in the door opening 12 by a hinge 17. A gap20 exists between the top 10a of the door 10 and the header 18.

Turning to FIG. 2, an alarm system 22 of the present invention includesa switch 24 which is mounted at the top of the door 10. The switch ispreferably normally open a ribbon or bumper switch which extendssubstantially the full width of the door. The ribbon switch can be aswitch, such as is supplied by Recora Company under the nameSensi-Switch. An illustrative example of the switch 24 is shown in FIGS.3A and 3B. The switch 24 comprises a sensing element 24a, such as anelectrode which is molded or otherwise contained in a housing 24b. Thehousing 24b can be made of a plastic, or any other material which canwithstand the environment into which the switch will be placed. Theribbon switch is flexible. A lead 24c, which is operatively connected tothe electrode within the housing 24b exits the housing 24b to place theswitch in communication with the alarm 28. As seen, a second lead 24dcan exit the housing at the opposite end of the switch. In a two wiresystem (which would include leads 24c and 24d), the second lead 24d cancontain an in-line resistor to monitor for breaks in the circuit. Hence,the integrity of the system is continuously monitored. Should theintegrity of the system be compromised, the switch can issue an alarm toalert personnel that the system needs attention.

The sensing element 24a is pressure sensitive and is activated totransmit a signal when it detects a pressure being applied to thehousing. Preferably, the pressure needed to activate the sensing elementis fairly low, for example, the switch can have an activation pressurein the range of 3-5 psi. The housing, as seen in FIG. 3A issemi-circular in cross-section. As will be explained more fully below,the switch 24 extends into the door gap 20, and can even extend so faras to contact the bottom of the door header 18, so long as such contactdoes not close the switch 24. Although the sensing element 24a is shownto be an electrode, the sensing element can be a pair of elongatecontacts which are spaced apart by compressible insulating members. Inthis example, when the elongate housing is compressed at any point alongthe housing, the contacts will be pushed into electrical contact witheach other at the point of compression, thereby closing the switch.

The circuit 22 additionally includes a source of power 26 and an alarm28. The alarm system can be hard-wired into the electrical system of abuilding, and hence, the power source 26 would be the power source forthe building. Alternatively, the power source could be a battery or thealarm system could include a plug, and the door alarm would then beplugged into an outlet proximate the door. Should a patient place asheet over the top of the door and then close the door (in an attempt touse the sheet to hang him or herself), the thickness of the sheet in thegap 20 will exert pressure on the switch 24 when the door is closed,thereby closing the switch. Closing of the switch 24 will, in turn,cause the alarm 28 to be activated, thereby notifying hospital personnelof a suicide attempt.

The alarm 28 can take several forms. It can be an audible and/or visualalarm. The alarm can be mounted by the patient's door (on the outside ofthe patient's room) so that the alarm can be easily seen by hospitalpersonnel when it is activated. Alternatively, the alarm 28 can be at acentral location (such as a nurse's station) so that hospital staffmanning the nurse's station will be notified at the nurse's station ofthe suicide attempt. In this case, the alarm at the nurse's stationwould include an indication of the room from which the alarm originates.The alarm (whether at the nurse's station or on the wall outside thepatient's room) can be hard wired as shown in FIG. 3A or wireless asshown in FIG. 3B. If wireless, then the alarm system would include atransmitter in conjunction with the switch which is activated when theswitch is closed. The alarm 28 would then include a receiver. The alarm28 would then be activated by the receiver upon detection of a signalfrom the transmitter. Additionally, the alarm system, if wireless, cansend a signal to staff beepers, personally informing staff of a suicideattempt. Again, a beeper notification would include an indication of theroom from which the alarm originated.

A first illustrative manner of mounting the switch 24 to a door is shownin FIGS. 4A and 4B. In each of these figures, the door 10 includes achannel 30 in the top surface 10a of the door. The door 10 of FIG. 3A isa steel door, and the channel 30 is formed in the top surface 10a duringmanufacturing of the door. The door 10 of FIG. 3B, on the other hand, isa wooden door. In this door, the channel 30 can be original (i.e.,placed in the door top surface during manufacturing of the door), or itcan be routed into the door top surface 10a during installation of thealarm system 22. The channel 30 extends substantially the full length ofthe door 10.

A switch bracket 32 is secured in the channel 30 to hold the switch 24in place. The bracket 32 comprises a base 32a and a pair of side members32b. The bracket 32 extends substantially the length of the channel 30,and hence, substantially the length of the door 10. The bracket base 32ahas a width approximately equal to the width of the switch 24, and thebracket side members 32b are shaped to hold the switch in the bracket.To this end, the side members 32b can be shaped correspondingly to theswitch and the switch 24 can be pressed or slid into the bracket. Thebracket 32 can be provided with screw holes 34 in its base 32a throughwhich screws, bolts, or other fasteners can extend to secure the bracket32 in the door channel 30. The bracket 32 can also be secured in thechannel by other means. For example, adhesives can be used to secure thebracket. The adhesive could be a liquid adhesive, such as a glue orepoxy; or the adhesive can, for example, be a pressure or heat activatedadhesive which is supplied in a strip or sheet format, and is thenapplied either to the bottom of the bracket or to the channel, and isultimately positioned between the bottom of the channel.

The switch 24 is received in the bracket 32. As seen in FIGS. 4A and 4B,the top of the switch 24 is above the top 10a of the door 10. If thechannel 30 is too deep, spacers 35 can be provided along the channelbottom to raise the switch. However, the switch 24 should not be sohigh, such that it will be activated when the door is closed undernormal use conditions. Spacers can also be positioned between thebracket side members 32b and the channel wall if the channel is widerthan the bracket.

FIG. 5 shows an alternate mounting method of the switch 24. Thisalternate method can be used, for example, when the gap 20 between thedoor top 10a and the door header 18 is too small to accommodate theswitch 24, and the door does not include a channel 30 or the channel 30cannot be formed in the door top surface. In this instance, a door beam36 is mounted to the door 10, and a header beam 38 is mounted to thedoor header 18 or to the wall 14 above the door opening 12. The beams 36and 38 can be mounted to the door 10 and header 18, respectively, in anyconventional manner. The door beam 36 is shown to be mounted by means ofa bolt/bolt sleeve set 40 and the header beam 38 is shown to be mountedto the header 18 by means of an adhesive. The switch bracket 32 ismounted to the top of the door beam 36. The door beam 36 has a widthsuch that the bracket fastener openings 34 will be over the door beam sothat the bracket can be fixed to the top of the door beam 36. The headerbeam 38 is mounted to the header at a position and is sized (i.e., has afront-to-back depth) such that there will be a slight gap 20a betweenthe top of the switch 24 and the bottom of the header beam 38 when thedoor is closed. This gap 20a replaces the gap 20 in operation of thealarm system. The gap 20a is sized, such that a bunched-up sheet or thelike, when placed over the door, will press down on the switch 24 toactivate the alarm when the door is closed.

As noted above, the ribbon switch 24 extends substantially the fulllength of the door. Further, the sensing element 24a of the switch 24also extends substantially the full length of the door. Thus, the switchis not be position sensitive. That is, the switch will be activated nomatter where a patient should place a sheet relative to the door length.

An illustrative example of the wiring of the alarm system is shownfurther in FIGS. 6-9. In FIG. 6, the switch lead 24c can be seen exitingthe switch housing 24b through a bottom or side of the housing spacedinwardly from the end of the housing. The switch lead 24 is positionednear the hinge side of the door. Inasmuch as the ribbon switch 24extends substantially the full length of the door, having the lead 24cexit the housing inwardly slightly from the end of the housing willreduce the possibility of the lead from getting squeezed between thedoor edge 10b and the door jamb 16 when the door is closed.

As seen in FIGS. 7 and 8, the hinge 17 is preferably a continuous hinge,such as a piano hinge, which extends substantially the full height ofthe door. The hinge 17 includes a door plate 17a and jamb plate 17bwhich have knuckles, as is known, through which a pin extends to connectthe door and jamb flaps. As seen in FIG. 7, the switch lead 24c passesthrough an opening 17c near the top of the hinge 17. The wiring thenextends down along one of the hinge plates 17a. The wire extendssubstantially the full height of the door hinge (and hence,substantially the full height of the door opening).

In FIG. 8, the alarm lead 24c passes between the front and back surfaces10c of the door and exit the door along the door edge 10b. The alarmlead 24c then passes down the inside of the hinge 17 and exits the hinge17 at the bottom thereof, as seen in FIG. 6.

Whether the alarm lead 24c extends down the outside or inside of thehinge 17, the wire is directed through an opening 42 (FIG. 6) either inthe wall 14 or in the hinge plate 17b. The wire 24c will then passthrough the wall to be connected to the alarm 28. So that the wiringwill not be accessible (or visible) a cover 44 is applied over the hinge17. The cover 44, as seen in FIG. 6 includes an elongate channel member44a which covers hinge knuckles and side flaps 44b,c which extend fromopposite sides of the channel member to cover the hinge plates 17a and17b. The hinge cover side flaps 44b,c are secured to the door and thedoor jamb, respectively. The cover flaps 44b and 44c can be secured inplace using any conventional means. For example fasteners or adhesivecan be used to secure the cover 44 in place. The cover encloses the wirealong the full height of the door. The wall/jamb hole 42, through whichthe wire passes to be electrically connected to the alarm, is positionedso as to be covered by the hinge cover 44. Hence, substantially noportion of the wire will be exposed.

FIGS. 6-9 show the door with the switch mounted in accordance with FIG.4a or 4b. It will be appreciated that in a surface mounting of theswitch 24, as shown in FIG. 5, that the alarm lead 24 will be handled inmuch the same manner so that the wire will not be visible or accessibleto a patient.

I have described an alarm system which will notify hospital staff in theevent a patient drapes a sheet or the like over the top of a door andcloses the door to hold the sheet in place as a warning that the patientmight be attempting to commit suicide. I have also shown two methods ofhandling the wires for a hard wired system. It will be appreciated thatthe alarm wires can be handled or treated in other ways as well.However, what is important is that the wires be well hidden andprotected so that a patient cannot get access to the alarm system wires.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense. For example, although the switch is described to be a normallyopen switch, the switch could be a normally closed switch. In thisinstance, when the circuit is opened, the alarm is activated. The hinge17 could be a hinge provided with a wire tube, and the alarm lead couldthen be passed through the wire tube. This might eliminate that need forthe hinge cover. Although the bracket 32 is disclosed to be an elongatebracket which extends substantially the full length of the door, andhence substantially the full length of the switch 24, the bracket couldbe comprised of discrete portions which secure the switch to the door atdiscrete locations along the length of the switch. The switch lead wire24c need not extend the full height of the door. Rather, the switchcould be passed into the wall at any convenient point along the heightof the door. Thus, where the alarm is mounted outside the patient room,the wire could pass through the wall at a point generally aligned withthe height of the alarm. These examples are merely illustrative.

1. A door alarm system comprising: a door frame having opposed sidejambs and a header extending between said jambs, said door framedefining an opening; a door mounted in said door frame by a hingeassembly to be movable between an open position and a closed position;said door having a top, bottom and sides; said door top and said headerdefining a gap when said door is closed; a pressure sensitive switchmounted to the door proximate the door top; the switch extendingsubstantially the full length of the door between the sides of saiddoor; said switch having a height such that said switch extends intosaid gap when said door is closed; and an alarm; said switch being incommunication with said alarm; whereby, when said switch detectspressure anywhere along its length, said switch will transmit a signalto activate said alarm.
 2. The door alarm system of claim 1 furtherincluding a bracket mounted to said door; said bracket mounting saidswitch to said door.
 3. The door alarm system of claim 2 wherein saidbracket has a base and opposed side members extending upwardly from saidbase; said side members being shaped to receive said switch and holdsaid switch in said bracket.
 4. The door alarm system of claim 2 whereinsaid bracket is an elongate bracket and extends substantially the fulllength of said door.
 5. The door alarm system of claim 1 wherein saiddoor includes a channel in said door top; said switch being received insaid channel; the switch extending out a top of said channel.
 6. Thedoor alarm system of claim 5 comprising a spacer in said channel belowsaid switch.
 7. The door alarm system of claim 1 including a door beammounted to said door and a head beam mounted to said header; said doorbeam having a length substantially the width length of said door; andsaid header beam having a length substantially equal to the length ofsaid door frame header; said header beam being spaced above said doorbeam; said gap being defined by said door beam and header beam; saidswitch being mounted to said door beam to extend into said gap.
 8. Thedoor alarm system of claim 1 wherein said alarm is a visual and/or anaudible alarm.
 9. The door alarm system of claim 1 wherein said alarm ispositioned on an outside of a wall in which said door is mounted. 10.The door alarm system of claim 1 wherein said alarm is positioned in acentral location of a facility.
 11. The door alarm system of claim 1wherein said switch includes a lead wire to electrically connecting saidswitch and said alarm; said lead wire extending along at least a portionof the height of the door proximate the hinge; said wire passing intosaid wall to be electrically connected to said alarm.
 12. The door alarmsystem of claim 11 wherein said hinge is a piano hinge and extendsdownwardly from near the top of said door.
 13. The door alarm system ofclaim 12 wherein said piano hinge extends substantially the a fulllength of said door from the top of the door to the bottom of the door.14. The door alarm system of claim 12 wherein said switch lead wireextends down one of an inside surface and an outside surface of saidpiano hinge.
 15. The door alarm system of claim 12 further including ahinge cover applied over said hinge; said hinge cover being sized andshaped to cover any exposed portion of said switch lead wire.
 16. Amethod for notifying hospital personnel of a suicide attempt by apatient, said method comprising: providing a door alarm system for adoor to or in a patient's room; said door alarm system comprising anelongate pressure sensitive switch proximate the top of a door, saidswitch extending into a gap above said door; said switch being incommunication with said door alarm system to activate an alarm when saiddoor is closed with said item hanging over the top of the door.
 17. Adoor alarm system comprising: a door frame having opposed side jambs anda header extending between said jambs, said door frame defining anopening; a door mounted to said door frame and movable between an openposition and a closed position; said door having a top, bottom andsides; a sensing element disposed proximate to the top of or on the topof the door, said sensing element extending substantially a full widthof the door; and an alarm coupled to the sensing element to receive asignal from the sensing element; wherein the alarm is configured to beactive when said door is in the closed position and the sensing elementdetects an item hanging over the top of said door.
 18. The door alarmsystem of claim 17, wherein the sensing element is mounted on the door.19. The door alarm system of claim 17, further comprising a switchincluding said sensing element.
 20. The door alarm system of claim 19,wherein the switch is a pressure sensitive switch.
 21. The door alarmsystem of claim 20, wherein the switch is operable to be activated by apressure of between 3 and 5 pounds per square inch.
 22. The door alarmsystem of claim 19, wherein the switch is disposed to extend into a gapdefined between the door and the door frame when the door is disposed inthe closed position.
 23. The door alarm system of claim 19, wherein theswitch is wired to the alarm.
 24. The door alarm system of claim 19,wherein the alarm is configured to be active when the switch is open.25. The door alarm system of claim 19, wherein the alarm is configuredto be active when the switch is closed.
 26. The door alarm system ofclaim 17, further comprising a first lead wire extending from one end ofthe sensing element and a second lead wire extending from an oppositeend of the sensing element.
 27. The door alarm system of claim 17,wherein the alarm is configured to indicate a room from which an alarmoriginates.
 28. The door alarm system of claim 17, wherein the alarmincludes an audible alarm.
 29. A method for notifying personnel, via adoor alarm system, of a suicide attempt by a patient, the door alarmsystem including a sensing element disposed proximate to the top of oron top of a door and extending substantially a full width of the doorand an alarm coupled to the sensing device, said method comprising:detecting a pressure applied to the sensing element by an item hangingover the top of the door; and activating the alarm of the door alarmsystem to notify personnel of a suicide attempt.
 30. The method of claim29, wherein detecting pressure applied to the sensing element includesdetecting pressure generated by the item hanging over the door when thedoor is disposed in a closed position.
 31. The method of claim 29,wherein said sensing device is in communication with said alarm totransmit a signal to activate said alarm.
 32. A door alarm system foruse with a door flame having opposed side jambs and a header extendingbetween said jambs and a door mounted to said door flame and movablebetween an open position and a closed position, the door alarm systemcomprising: a switch adapted to mount proximate to a top of a door or onthe top of the door and having a length substantially equal to a widthof the door; and an alarm configured to couple to the switch and toactivate when the switch detects an item hanging over the top of thedoor when the door is closed.
 33. The door alarm system of claim 32,further comprising an alarm lead wire connectable between the switch andthe alarm.
 34. The door alarm system of claim 32, wherein the door alarmsystem is configured to activate the alarm when the switch is closed.35. The door alarm system of claim 17, wherein the full width of thedoor extends between lateral sides of the door.
 36. The method of claim29, wherein the full width of the door extends between lateral sides ofthe door.
 37. The door alarm system of claim 32, wherein the width ofthe door extends between lateral sides of the door.